Being Mary Bennet

It is a truth universally acknowledged that every bookworm secretly wishes to be Lizzy Bennet from Pride and Prejudice.

A less acknowledged truth is that Mary Bennet might be a better fit.

For Marnie Barnes, realizing she’s a Mary Bennet is devastating. But she’s determined to reinvent herself and find some main character energy, so she enlists the help of her bubbly roommate and opens up to the world. 

And between new friends, a very cute boy, and a rescue pup named Sir Pat, Marnie finds herself on a path to becoming a new person entirely. But she’s no Lizzy, or even Mary—instead, she’s someone even better: just plain Marnie.

With a hilariously sharp voice, a sweet and fulfilling contemporary romance that features a meet-cute in an animal shelter, and a big family that revels in causing big problems, this charming YA romantic comedy and comedy of errors about a girl who resolves to become the main character of her own story (at any and all costs), is perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Becky Albertalli…and Jane Austen, of course.

But can a confirmed bookworm really become the leading lady of her own life?

• A Modern Pride and Prejudice Retelling: What happens when the forgotten middle sister decides she’s done being a footnote in someone else’s story?
• Boarding School Setting: For Marnie Barnes, Pacific Crest Academy is supposed to be about academics, not awkward social encounters or bubbly roommates with big ideas.
• An Adorable Meet-Cute: Finding a very cute boy is the last thing on her mind, especially when she’s trying to wrangle a rescue pup named Sir Pat at a local animal shelter.
• A Complicated Sisters Story: With a big family that’s famous for causing big problems, Marnie has to figure out how to stand out without starting a whole new family drama.